Banner Graphic, Volume 18, Number 103, Greencastle, Putnam County, 8 January 1988 — Page 26

Page 16

'Harry McGraw' back from dead

By Jon Burlingame TV DATA HOLLYWOOD - Once in a while, a low-rated series beats the odds and is picked up for new episodes - after it receives a cancellation notice. In recent years, CBS has changed its corporate mind on two shows: “Cagney & Lacey” and “Simon & Simon.” And a new one is entering the list. This season’s victim-

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PeterS. Fischer

turned-survivor is “The Law & Harry McGraw,” which returns to the CBS schedule on Wednesday, Jan. 13. The brief life of the Jerry OrbachBarbara Babcock mystery series hasn’t been as blessed, thus far, as that of its parent series, “Murder, She Wrote.” That veteran series continues to enjoy top-10 status in its fourth reason, in spite of tough competition from

AB-E brings back two forgotten 70s sitcoms

Are there any forgotten series lost in TV’s vaults that cable channels have not yet salvaged? Apparently there are plenty. This month, the Arts & Entertainment Network (which now airs 24 hours a day) brings back “Working Stiffs” and “When Things Were Rotten,” a couple of short-lived former network

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Canceled then revived

The flourishing first-run syndication market is rife with series that failed in network runs. “Charles in Charge,” “Mama's Family” and “It's a Living” are just a few of the shows that were canceled, but stayed in production. Here are a few revivals: •"Taxi” was dumped by ABC in 1982. NBC picked it up, only to pink-slip it in 1983. • “Cagney & Lacey,” having already endured a major cast change (Meg Foster’s re-

Sharon Gless

placement by Sharon Giess) was canceled by CBS in 1983. A storm of protest resulted in its 1984 revival. • “Fame,” the critically acclaimed adaptation of the 1980 hit movie, was canceled by NBC in 1983 but became a hit in first-run syndication.

NBC’s “Family Ties.” “The Law & Harry McGraw” premiered opposite the longawaited Dolly Parton variety show on ABC, then moved into its late-Tuesday-night spot against ABC’s “thirtysomething,” which received glowing press notices, and NBC’s “Crime Story.” It has frequently finished third in its time slot. For creator and executive producer Peter S. Fischer, “It was a very sad situation. CBS took the position that we weren’t performing. They didn’t feel that we had any future ... The show was canceled, and the entire time I kept saying, ‘But, fellas, we’re an 8 o’clock show.’ ” Fischer contends that “The Law & Harry McGraw” appeals to an older audience, much like "Murder, She Wrote.” Orbach’s seedy private eye contrasts neatly with Babcock’s upper-crust

sitcoms that haven’t been seen around these parts for quite a while. They may be eminently forgettable to the casual viewer, but both sitcoms do have historical value. “Working Stiffs” (which ran from September to October 1979) starred two thenunknown comedians: James

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Boston lawyer, and its approach to the mystery genre is lighter than that of CBS’s other crime shows. Fischer finally managed to persuade new CBS Entertainment President Kim LeMasters to give “Harry McGraw” another chance in a new time slot, this time leading off the Wednes-day-night lineup. The format remains the same, says Fischer, but slight changes in tone may be perceptible. “We’re going to put a little more reality into Jerry’s character. Jerry has this almost basset-hound quality about him, a vulnerability. Women want to mother him. He’s got a likability behind that crust.” Fischer knows that ABC’s winning sitcoms and NBC’s “Highway to Heaven” already have mowed down “The Oldest Rookie.” “This is a tough time slot,” he concedes. Stay tuned.

Belushi and Michael Keaton. One guesses there was little evidence of their future talents, since this CBS series lasted only one month. They played two young brothers, Ernie and Mike O’Rourke, who worked as janitors in an office building. But they had big ideas and planned to move into building management.

fV channels on Greencastle cable

2 CNN (Cable News Network) 3 USA Network (Family Appeal) 4 CBN Cable Network 5 American Movie Classics 6WRTV-TV (ABC/6) 7 Showtime 8 ESPN (Sports) 9 Lifetime 10 WTHI-TV (CBS/10) 11 Nickelodeon

B 2 WTWO, Terre Haute, NBC B 4WTTV, Indianapolis, Indp. O 6 WRTV, Indianapolis, ABC Q 8 WISH, Indianapolis, CBS EQ 10 WTHI, Terre Haute, CBS |Q 13WTHR, Indianapolis EQ 20 WFYI, Indianapolis, PBS

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Barbara Babcock and Jerry Orbach star in “The Law & Harry McGraw." The mystery series has been given a new lease on life b> CBS and moves to Wednesday night, starting this week.

12 The Discovery Channel 13 WTHR-TV (NBC/13) 14 Cable Value Network 15 The Nashville Network 16 VH-1 (Video Hits) 17 Arts & Entertainment 18 MTV (Music Television) 19 Local Programming 20 The Disney Channel 21 Headline News

Off-air channels available in area

22 HBO (Home Box Office) 23 C-Span (U.S. Congress) 24 WTBS-TV (Atlanta) 25 WGN-TV (Chicago) 26 WTTV-TV (lnd./4) 27 WHMB-TV (lnd./40) 28 WISH-TV (CBS/8) 29 WTIU-TV (PBS/30) 30 WXIN-TV (lnd./59)

13 30 WTIU, Bloomington, PBS 13 38 WBAK, Terre Haute, ABC E 3 40 WHBM, Indianapolis, Indp. E 3 59 WXIN, Indianapolis, Indp. Also available in some areas: Channel 15, Champaign, III.; Channel 18, Lafayette: Channel 23, WMCC, Noblesville; Channel 42, WCLJ, Indianapolis